Tomorrow there’s a great Champions League quarterfinal match at the Bernabéu, and that’s big words. A Real Madrid-Chelsea, a photocopy of last season’s tie, in this same round, but with a small nuance. The return will be in Stamford Bridge: «We have to think that it is a 180-minute game. Tomorrow’s game isn’t decisive, but it could give us an advantage to handle the second leg better. We are looking forward to living another magical night at the Bernabéu. Of course, it is a different thought to play the first leg at home, but it should serve us precisely for that, to obtain an advantage, “he reflected. Carletto before sending the message that he wanted to send this Tuesday in the Valdebebas press room.
Both in this first question and in the last one, Ancelotti pulled out his nails like never before in his time on the white bench. Usually classified as a good manager, but not so much as a coach who works with his teams, Carletto Today he wanted to vindicate himself. And he did it forcefully: «Last year, except for the first leg in Paris, we did well in all the games and we deserved to win the Champions League. We weren’t lucky. If you trace matches it is because you have more in the last minutes. More energy and more confidence to win games. The games are over when the referee whistles, said Boskov. We deserved to win it and it wasn’t because of management, but because we played better than others.”
His allegation did not stop there. At the same time that Juan Camilo, the club’s press employee and regular companion at the table with Ancelotti, thanked and said goodbye to the media, Carletto He asked for yet another statement. He still had not been completely satisfied: «This is a group that finds itself very well among themselves. That happens when he perfectly understands when it’s time to make jokes and when it’s time to be serious. For me, handling this template is very easy. I manage it very well. And everyone admits to me that he is fantastic in management, but this team has worked very well. If we win the Copa del Rey we will win all the titles in two seasons, something that not many teams do in their entire history. And now I can go.”
Ancelotti also spoke about the game, of course. He expects his team to defend better than against Villarreal and attack as against Barça. In addition, he sees Valverde focused and motivated, despite his controversial incident with Baena – “he has extraordinary human and personal qualities,” he said of him – and he understands that Alaba should now be a central defender and not use him as a left back. He also had nice words for Chelsea, whom he coached for two seasons between 2009 and 2011: «Last year we suffered a lot against him Chelsea. We had many advantages, but we had a hard time. You have to respect this team, even if it’s not having a very good time. They will be motivated to bring out the best. It has a very high-level squad. I have great memories of the club and of course I am saddened by its current situation. I’m a Chelsea fan but I don’t think I’ll come back to coach him. Lampard will do a great job. He was a fantastic and extraordinary professional, and he knows the club very well ».
Finally, Ancelotti left a wish on the table. He met Paolo Maldini, his old friend at Milan, on June 10, Carletto’s birthday. Ancelotti had a private conversation with him, and as he already did with Jagoba Arrasate and the Cup final, he predicted a Champions League final between Real Madrid and Milan: «For me and Paolo, Istanbul and the Ataturk stadium are not a pretty memory. We remember that final in that call. Maldini was my partner, my captain, a fantastic person, and if we can see each other on my birthday it would be good.”